前言
记录一下常用台式万用表34465A和DMM6500测量电容所用原理。
一、34465A
查阅官方手册,它所采用的是充放电法测电容容值,电容测量有以下6个档位,档位及精度如下(手册中并没有展示测试所用电流信息):
The multimeter makes capacitance measurements by applying a known current to charge the capacitance and then a resistance to discharge as shown below:
An illustration of the response curve while charging is shown below:
二、DMM6500
查阅官方手册,它所采用的是充放电法测电容容值,电容测量档位及测试电流如下表:
原理解析
这两款台式万用表都使用了恒流源充电法测量电容容值,给定一个已知电流的恒流源给电容充电,通过ADC测量电容上电压变化,再根据算法计算电容值。
校准
测量之前需要消除引线电容和其他杂散电容影响,手册提供方法如下,分开两个表笔,按下“Null”按键将测试值归零校准:
To null–out the test lead capacitance:
- Disconnect the + and - test leads probe end from the test circuit, and leave open.
- Press Null. The DMM will now subtract this null value from capacitance measurements.
自动量程切换档位
自动量程切换档位的时机如下,在测量值小于当前档位最小值的10%时切换到更小档位;测量值大于当前档位最大值时切换到更大档位。
Autoranging goes down a range at less than 10% of range and up a range at
greater than 120% of range.
只有当电容太大超出算法测量范围,或者在电容测量模式下,在测量终端引入了电压或者短路,才会显示OL。
Overload only occurs when the algorithm times out because the applied capacitance is too large for the algorithm to measure. If you apply a DC voltage or a short to the input terminals in capacitance measurement mode, the instrument reports an overload.
总结
两款主流仪器厂商的台式万用表均采用充电法测量电容,测量范围可以实现1nF~100uF,均具备测试前归零校准功能;但是对于更小或更大的电容测量,则显得无能为力,后续继续研究LCR表和电桥测量电容的原理。